Most things are fixable. The biggest issue is do you need to take it out?The heater in my 280z is working, but it only blows any air when velocity is set to 4, and the temp slider is stuck on cold - won't budge at all.
Anyone know if it's fixable, or should I try and source a replacement unit?
Most things are fixable. The biggest issue is do you need to take it out?
The fan problem may be a resistor burnt out but that's a guess. The temp problem may be a seized water valve. You need to get your head under the dash and investigate the valve.
Awkward jobs.
Its all simple and mechanical. And its not a huge arse to deal with tbh. The heater valve is to be found on the RH side of the heater unit, near the bulkhead under the dash. The actuation for it and the vents is all by steel cable. I'd start with removing the centre of the dash (with the heater controls, etc.) and learning the lay of the land in there. It may also be that the mechanism/slider is stuck and needs WD40/manual intervention to free it. Or the cable is stuck/corroded.
New heater valves are available if the old one has had it.
Get in there and start fiddling!
On a 280z alot of it could actually be vacuum controlled. Again not a super complicated system but youd want to check the feed line and the lines going to each of the vacuum actuators - when mine failed you could hear a faint hissing as a pipe had cracked. £5 in hose replaced everything though!Its all simple and mechanical. And its not a huge arse to deal with tbh. The heater valve is to be found on the RH side of the heater unit, near the bulkhead under the dash. The actuation for it and the vents is all by steel cable. I'd start with removing the centre of the dash (with the heater controls, etc.) and learning the lay of the land in there. It may also be that the mechanism/slider is stuck and needs WD40/manual intervention to free it. Or the cable is stuck/corroded.
New heater valves are available if the old one has had it.
Get in there and start fiddling!
I had the heater controls out on mine last year - it’s all cables and actual metal parts - not plastic …
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Have you drained the coolant? the condition of that should give you an idea as to how gunked up the valve and pipes could be!
Possibly, it could just be bunged up with crud or it could be a molten rusty mess or maybe it's just the controls that are seized. Either way your back and neck probably aren't going to thank you!I haven't, but I *think* @SacCyclone said it was all flushed out and done before it headed across the pond.
So could that be why the valve is stuck then? Just stuff stopping it from opening/moving?
Possibly, it could just be bunged up with crud or it could be a molten rusty mess or maybe it's just the controls that are seized. Either way your back and neck probably aren't going to thank you!
If you’re taking the dash out then wait until that happens … it’s hard work trying to fix this stuff upside down and working in no space …
Your car has A/C so it has a manual cable operated valve and a vacuum operated valve adjacent to it. On mine the O ring could be fixed but the diaphragm in the vacuum mechanism had failed rendering it useless. The diaphragm I believe was unobtainium the last time I researched it. .
I replaced the crusty looking hoses with 16mm (5/8”) silicone hose pieces that I matched up online. I’ll grab a photo at the weekend.
You might find this thread useful. https://forums.hybridz.org/topic/53249-heater-control-valve-76-78-280z/page/1/#comments